Automatic water feeding device



July 31, 1956 J. K. DUKAS 2,756,768

AUTOMATIC WATER FEEDING DEVICE Filed April 29, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 NORMAL WATER LEVEL I N VENTOR JIlMEs X. Z70 KA S f/l-S ATTORNEY July 31, 1956 J. K. DUKAS 2,756,768

AUTOMATIC WATER FEEDING DEVICE Filed April 29, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 l l N VENTOR 20 JAMES l1 UZ/A A'S 26 y BY M5 ATTORNEY United States Patent AUTOMATIC WATER FEEDING DEVICE James K. Dukas, Kingston, Pa.

Application April 29, 1954, Serial No. 426,479

1 Claim. (Cl. 137-407) This invention relates to. an automatic water feeding device, and has for one of its objects the production of a simple and eflicient means for automatically opening an intake valve of a feed line when the water level in a boiler falls below a predetermined or normal level, and also for automatically closing the valve when the water level in the boiler returns to its normal or predetermined level.

A further object of this invention is the production of a simple and efficient level-actuating mechanism for actuating a water feed valve leading toa steam boiler and the like.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will appear throughout the following specification and claim.

In the drawings:

Figure l is a side elevational view of the apparatus, certain parts being shown in section;

Figure 2 is a sectional view taken on line 22 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a perspective view of the vertical union P p Figure 4 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view through the water feed valve and rocker bar, a portion of the union pipe being shown in elevation;

Figure 5 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional view taken on line 55 of Figure 1;

Figure 6 is an enlarged fragmentary front elevational view showing the pivot connection for the rocker bar.

By referring to the drawings in detail, it will be seen that 10 designates a conventional boiler having a conventional gauge glass 11. A water feed pipe 12 is connected to the boiler 10 below the normal water line, and an upper vent pipe 13 is connected to the boiler above the normal water line, as is shown in Figure 1. A hollow vertical union pipe 14 is connected to the vent pipe 13 near the top thereof by the nipple 15, and the bottom of the union pipe 14 carries a shut-off valve 16 which also communicates with the water feed pipe 12 to convey water from the union pipe 14 into the boiler 10 below its normal water line. The shut-off valve 16 is normally open, but it may be closed when desired, such for instance while making repairs. The union pipe 40 carries a plurality of brackets 14 which are adapted to be anchored to a suitable support in any convenient manner to rigidly support the union pipe 14.

A water control feed valve 17 is carried by the top of the vertical union pipe 14, and is connected to the main water feed line 18 to control the flow of water into the union pipe 14. This valve 17 is preferably of the automatic spring closing type of valve which is normally closed to cut off the flow of water through the union pipe 14. A crank plate 19 is fixed to the valve 17 at the outer end thereof, and this crank plate 19'is connected to the rocker bar 20 by means of a link 21, as shown in Figure 1. An integral rectangular frame 22 is carried by the vertical union pipe 14 and this frame 22 extends for- 2,756,768 Patented July 31, 1956.

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wardly of the pipe 14, as is shown in Figures 3 and 4. The rocker bar 20 is pivotally secured to the front face of the frame 22. by means of a journal bolt 23 which is provided with a reduced threaded shank 24 having. threaded engagement with the frame 22. The journal bolt 23 is adaptedto facilitate free rocking motion of the rocker bar upon the front face of the frame 22. A horizontal abutment shoulder 25 is carried by the front face of the frame and this shoulden 25 is provided with a;-

dow-nwardly inclined portion 26 at one end thereof, as, shown in Figures 3 and 6 The journal bolt 23 pivotally' supports the rocker bar 20 above the shoulder 25. This; shoulder 25' limits. the swing of the rocker bar. 20, in one direction to a horizontal position, and the inclined portion 26 of the shoulder limits the. swing of the rocker bar in the opposite direction to the downwardly inclined position shown in Figure 6.

The rocker bar 20 is connected to the top of the water level control ball tank 27 by means of a link 28 which suspends the ball tank 27 from one end of the rocker bar 20. The top of the ball tank 27 communicates with the flexible hose 29 which is connected at its opposite end to the vent pipe 13, as shown in Figure 1. A vertical counterbalancing weight 30 is suspended from the opposite end of the rocker bar 20, preferably at an equal distance from the journal bolt 23 as the link 28. The bottom of the ball tank 27 is connected to a flexible hose 31 which in turn is connected to a nipple 32 of the vertical union pipe 14 at a point below the normal water level.

The operation of the apparatus is as follows:

When the water in the boiler 10 is at the normal water level shown in Figure 1, the rocker bar 20 extends in a horizontal position and abuts the horizontal portion of the shoulder 25. The water in the ball tank 27 and the union pipe, as well as the gauge glass 11 and boiler 10, is at a common level. The rocker bar 20 is held in a horizontal position by the weight of the water in the ball tank 27 which counterbalances the counterweight 30. When the water level in the tank 10 falls below the normal level, the water level in the ball tank 27 also falls thereby reducing the weight of the ball tank. The counterweight 30 then pulls downwardly upon the rocker bar 20 to swing the bar 20 downwardly at its weighted end, the downward swing being limited by the inclined shoulder portion 26. swings downwardly, the ball tank 27 swings upwardly with the opposite end of the bar 27, and the link 21 pulls the crank plate 19 downwardly, thereby opening the valve 17 and permitting a supply of water to pass through the valve 17 down through the union pipe 14, through the pipe 12 and into the tank 10, and also through the hose 31 into the ball tank 27. When the normal water level is reached in the tank 10 and ball tank 27, the weight of the water in the ball tank 27 will return the rocker bar 20 to its horizontal position, and the valve 19 will automatically close since the downward pull upon the link 21 will be released. The water supply will then be cut off until the water level in the tank 10 again falls below the normal level, at which time the cycle will be repeated.

It should be understood that certain detail changes in mechanical structure and arrangement of parts may be provided within the spirit of the invention, so long as these changes fall within the scope of the appended claim. It should be further understood that the vertical union pipe 14 may be supported in any location relative to the boiler 10, so long as this union pipe extends vertically, since it is not desired to limit the invention with respect to the exact position of the apparatus upon or adjacent to the boiler, so long as the common water level may be maintained in the boiler and ball tank. The posi- As the weighted end of the bar 20 tion of the counterweight 30 may be changed upon the rocker bar 20 when desired, through the medium of fitting the link 20- into one of the selected apertures 20* to regulate a high or low water level within the boiler 10 and ball tank 27.

The present application is an improvement upon my patent relating to an Automatic Water Feeding Device, issued June 12, 1951, Number 2,556,801.

Having described the invention, what I claim as new is:

A device of the character described comprising a boiler, a main water feed line, a control valve in said feed line, a hollow vertical union pipe having a vent pipe connected to said boiler, a ball tank mounted adjacent said union pipe, a communicating connection between said vent pipe and ball tank, means for anchoring said union pipe to a support, said union pipe having an integral rectangular frame projecting forwardly of said union pipe, a rocker bar pivot supporting portion on the front face of said frame, a rocker bar carried by said rocker bar pivot supporting portion, a horizontal abutment shoulder carried by the front face of said frame adjacent said rocker bar pivot supporting portion, said shoulder having a downwardly inclined portion at one end thereof defining a means for limiting the downward swing of said rocker bar on said frame, said union pipe being connected to a main water feed line at one end and to said boiler at its opposite end, means connecting said control valve to said rocker bar, and said horizontal abutment shoulder and said downwardly inclined portion of said shoulder being adapted to permit only a rising motion of said tank with a decrease in boiler water level and corresponding tank water level whereby said feed valve is opened by the rocker bar until the increase in water level restores said tank to its normal position closing said feed valve.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 590,641 Crawley Sept. 28, 1897 1,296,881 Turner Mar. 11, 1919 2,556,801 Dukas June 12, 1951 

